Performing automatic recognition of an object-of-interest within an image captured using a video camera and processed by a processing system is important for many tasks, including such tasks as person identification or license plate recognition. For objects of interest such as license plates and identification numbers (e.g., a name on a truck), the reliability of automatic recognition using a digital video camera can be lowered in currently available automated recognition systems when the camera is fixed but the object is moving, because the image of the object-of-interest becomes blurred. This effect typically starts becoming noticeable when the amount of movement of the object-of-interest causes a displacement of the image of the object-of-interest by at least a pixel during the time the image is being captured—i.e., when the shutter of the camera is opened. The blurring degrades such functions as optical character recognition of characters on the object-of-interest.
In systems that capture images of objects of interest that are moving, techniques of de-blurring of the image of the object-of-interest would be desirable.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.